Molalla considering 4 city manager finalists, all with management experience in other Oregon cities

In Molalla's search for a new city manager from a pool of 42 candidates,the City Council whittled 13 initial interviewees down to four, all with management experience in other Oregon cities.

These four candidates faced the public in an open forum Aug. 22, then had interviews Aug. 23 in front of a panel of community leaders, city department heads and the City Council.

Here's a look at the candidates.

John FlavinEllen Barnes

Ellen Barnes is the city administrator in Gold Beach. She is a former grants administrator in Grants Pass and has several years of experience in school and university administration.

If chosen to be Molalla's next city manager, Barnes said, "the budget's my first priority, and I'm looking for ways to make it more efficient."

From there, Barnes would look into infrastructure issues, including "updated streets, which are woefully inadequate," she said.

Barnes said she believes in the "walk-around" style of management. "It means getting out of the office and finding out what people seem to want. Without that, you end up only hearing from the small but loud voices. You have to get out and participate in groups and clubs to hear from some of the quieter, but equally important voices."

Dan Huff is a community development manager in Sutherlin and served as planning director and interim city manager in Sutherlin and Roseburg. He is also a former executive director of the Umpqua Regional Council of Governments.

If Huff is chosen, he hopes to begin by getting to know the people. "As an individual city manager, you have to get to know the community, all the intricacies that make it work."

He stressed the importance of getting to know the various components of the community. "You've got to go to a football game."

Huff also said that a city manager needs to embrace the arts as a means to keep the town's history alive. "You're selling who you are. You need to remember your history," said Huff, who added that supporting the arts is "important for business."

Chad Olson is a city administrator in St. Helens and a former city administrator in Rainier. He also held city management positions in Kansas, Wyoming, North Carolina and Ohio.

If selected, Olson sees his first priority as familiarizing himself with the business leaders and residents. "I need to get my feet under me and find out what the community's priorities are."

He said he would hone in on the budget: "That sets the direction of the Council." He likened his managerial style to being a good facilitator, a collaborator. "You're all on the same team," he said, then made a rugby comparison: "A good city manager is like a good scrum moving forward. You have to work together."

Scott Somers is a city administrator in Reedsport with previous management positions in Minnesota cities.

Somers talked about getting to know the "nuts and bolts of the community,"and pointed to the fact that Molalla already has several plans that have not been implemented, and that his first priority would be to get those in motion. "They've got the urban renewal plan, the Main Street Project ... but why haven't they moved forward? What were the issues? What's the hold-up?"said Somers.

Somers said he began his career interest in social work so that he could have a positive impact through those "one-on-one interactions." But then he decided to broaden his impact: "I wanted to do something more macro, something where I could really touch a community.